5/18/2012

Gooey Caramel Butter Bars

Say it with me... Gooey Caramel Butter Bars. The name says it all. But first, an apology to my Facebook followers for teasing you with this picture a couple of weeks ago. And a second apology to your diet because there is just no excuse for this one. However, I did lighten the recipe a little by using half and half instead of cream, but then I went and doubled the amount called for in the filling. Shame on me, but I promise you'll thank me. Caramel and shortbread... what's not to love??

The original recipe made a serving size of 15-30, but with an entire pound of butter and two bags of caramel candies, I cut them into smaller 1 1/2-inch bars for a reasonably sized guilty pleasure. The original recipe also called for dark rum in the mix, but I added a bit of Bailey's Caramel liqueur to boost the caramel flavor. The bars are still tasty without the liqueur if you don't want to use it. On the same note, I sometimes add peanuts, but they can be omitted.

These bars make for an excellent dessert to take to a party. I opted to make a whole batch to keep in-house. I wrapped the bars individually in plastic wrap and stored them in the freezer, where they can be kept for up to one month. Doing so makes for a great last minute lunch box treat. I just pop them in the lunch box straight from the freezer and by the time lunch rolls around, my kids have a perfectly thawed piece of gooey caramel goodness.

For the Crust
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325° F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper with overhang on the sides of the pan to allow for easy removal of the baked bars; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Add the flour and beat on low speed until a smooth, soft dough forms.

Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Pat the remaining dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the Filling
Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the half and half, vanilla, liqueur (if using), and salt. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If the caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.

Sprinkle the nuts (if using) over the bottom crust. Pour the caramel filling over the nuts using an off-set spatula to spread the filling evenly. Remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Using the parchment overhang, remove the bars and transfer to a cutting surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the bars into small squares. The bars will keep in an airtight container for 1 week. Individually wrap each bar into a sheet of plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container, then freeze for up to 1 month.

Buttery caramel goodness! Yes please! I'm gonna have to drool over yours because I've just instituted a no baked goods in my kitchen for a couple weeks rule...as a grad student studying from home, these would be gone in one day.

These looked so delicious, but when I made the dough for the crust, it turned out really wet, like a sugar cookie dough rather than crumbly like a shortbread. It made it very hard to spread in the pan, but I'm thinking next time I need more flour... possibly up to 2 cups more. Although, sugar cookie and caramel isn't too bad of a combo either!